Confrontations Anonymous
by ManaLouise
Summary: Angel returns to Sunnydale. Set after the Season 6 Episode "As You Were."


Confrontations Anonymous  
  
Angel returns to Sunnydale.  
  
Set after the Season 6 Episode "As You Were."  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Feedback: Of course I want feedback. In other words: COMMENT!  
  
  
  
When Buffy flung the door open to Spike's crypt, she almost screamed. There, beating the crap out of Spike, was her ex-lover, her soul mate. Her one and only.  
  
Angel.  
  
She couldn't believe it. Her first thought was to run to him and wrap her arms around him, to kiss him, to touch him, to make up for all this time she couldn't be with him. But, she realized, he was beating the shit out of Spike. She should probably do something about that. Or should she?  
  
"Um, boys? Wanna continue your little grunt-fest when I'm, say, elsewhere?" Buffy asked the two vampires.  
  
"Jesus, Angel. What the hell is your problem?" Spike asked, shoving him away and straightening himself out.  
  
"I'd like to know the same thing," Buffy said, walking over and looking at the two hundred-something year old vampires.  
  
Angel snapped his head up to look at Buffy, and she stepped back slightly. He was vamped out, and the look in his eyes sent a shock of terror to her heart. "Angel?" She asked. "What's wrong?" But before she even finished the question, she knew.  
  
He had found out about her and Spike.  
  
"Angel, I..." She started, but he cut her off.  
  
"I don't want to hear it," he growled, then practically flew out of Spike's crypt.  
  
"Well, well," Spike said, grinning at Buffy. "Seems another one of your exes isn't quite happy you and I are rolling around in the hay, eh love?" He asked, chuckling.  
  
"Were, Spike. Not anymore. I told you. We're over." Buffy said, and with that, she ran out, hoping to find Angel before he took off and she wouldn't be able to talk to him.  
  
She didn't have to run very far. He was standing in the middle of the cemetary, with his back turned to her. She couldn't see his face, but she wasn't sure she wanted to. She knew what it would look like, the disappointment in his eyes, the hurt and pain that was always there when he looked at her. She didn't know what to say, didn't know if she should, in fact, say anything. This was the hardest part when it came to Angel. She didn't have to say anything. He knew what she felt, what was happening in her heart.  
  
She sighed. "I know anything I say is either going to make this worse, or make no difference, so I'm going to keep my mouth shut."  
  
He turned to look at her, melting her heart. "Why, Buffy?" He asked. His voice was tired, and, she hated to say, dead.  
  
"Trust me. I've asked myself that question a million times. Maybe two million. Haven't really kept track." She said, folding her arms over her chest. The blackness of the night seemed to envelop the two of them, and she hugged herself, trying to keep out the cold.  
  
He noticed.  
  
"Here," he said, and in an instant his duster was around her shoulders, comforting her and surrounding her with warmth. Tears came to her eyes, as she thought of the thoughtless gesture he made. It was more than she could handle. She flung the jacket off her and started running. She wasn't running anywhere in particular, she just ran. Faster, and faster, she ran, until the object she smacked into tumbled down before her. Great, she thought. A vamp. Just what I need. The running and crying had zapped her energy and when she went to block the vamp's punch, her arm faltered and he crushed her arm back down to her side, pinning it there as he kicked her hard in the chest. She felt herself go weak, and then she tumbled to the ground, barely able to move.  
  
"Buffy!" Angel yelled, appearing beside her in a flash. A few punches and a quick stake to the heart, and the vamp was dust. Angel knelt down to see if she was okay.  
  
"I'm fine," she said, lifting herself up. She had hit her head when she went down, and it pounded now. She groaned and rubbed her head. "Figures," she muttered, angry that she would run into a vamp when she was at her worst.  
  
"Come on," Angel said. "Let's get you home." He helped her up, and she managed to hang on to him enough to get home. When she opened the door, Angel swept her off her feet and up the stairs where she was safely in her bed within seconds. "Go ahead and get undressed. I'll get you something warm to drink." And with that, he was gone. Out of her room.  
  
She undressed and got under the covers, wearing only a thin nightie. The layers of sheets and comforter would keep her nice and warm. Within seconds, he was back with a cup of tea full of milk and sugar, just the way she liked it.  
  
"No one is home," Angel said. "Willow took Dawn to the movies. There was a note." Buffy nodded and took a sip of tea. Angel sat in the chair next to her bed. "Are you okay?" He asked. His question reached so many levels that she wasn't sure how to answer it.  
  
"Angel..." she started, but he cut her off.  
  
"Don't. Just...don't. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to know," he said. And then he did something she didn't ever expect him to do.  
  
He smiled.  
  
"I'm not mad at you. I could never be mad at you. I hate Spike. I've always hated Spike. So, as you might be able to tell, I hate him even more now." He said quietly, but he grinned again at Buffy. "You'll never guess the reason I came down here." He said.  
  
"To kick Spike's ass?" She asked meekly.  
  
"Well, that's always fun. But, no. I came down here to see you." He said.  
  
"Why? I thought we agreed that's a big no-no," she said, sitting up in bed so she could see him better and grimacing at the pain.  
  
"I realize. And I'm sorry. But I need to tell you something. And this isn't something you say over the phone." He sighed, and hung his head, then looked back up at her.  
  
"What? Come on, you can tell me. That's the reason you came down here." Buffy said.  
  
"It's the curse...my soul curse. It's been lifted." 


End file.
